Get ready to try your new favorite sauce! This Remoulade for Crab Cakes will take your seafood game to the next level.
If you haven’t already tried this southern classic, don’t wait another second; Impress your guests with this fancy sauce for crab cakes at your next gathering.
Remoulade Recipe
One of my favorite sides isn’t really a side at all… it’s dressing and sauce! Sauces can completely change your dish, usually for the better. It elevates nearly any meal.
Remoulade is a French sauce that was popularized in the south, specifically in Louisiana creole dishes. Much like us here up in Maryland, Louisiana is also known for its mouthwatering seafood. However, down there, along with its great seafood comes a lot of French influence – and that’s how this Louisiana-style remoulade sauce joined the menu. It is even sometimes called a creole mustard.
Remoulade has become so popular, not just in the south, but globally. So much so that it’s a common condiment used on sandwiches, hot dogs, battered fish, and many other finger foods. Some are made with just hot sauce or cajun seasoning to provide a medium heat, but ours uses fresh garlic horseradish and Old Bay for spice.
This sauce can be used for countless seafood dinners including salmon croquettes, salmon burgers, crab imperial or scallops. Here in Maryland, crab cake recipes are a dime a dozen and many are executed very well- but the sauce you serve it with can make all the difference and they only deserve the best sauces.
Ingredients
The beginnings of any great condiment starts with the base, so let’s start there. This recipe has a mayonnaise base, but that is not all! To amp up the flavor you will also need:
- Dijon mustard– use a smooth or coarse grain- after blending it you might have little chunks from the whole grains. Some even use dry mustard, but I don’t feel like it packs as punch flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Horseradish
- Sweet pickle relish– or dill pickles
- Fresh Lemon juice– fresh citrus is always better than the bottled stuff which is often muted in flavor. Spring for a fresh lemon. For even more citrus add a few grates of lemon zest.
And of course, you need a little but of extra umph to take that base to the next level! You will also need:
- Chives
- Garlic – For real garlic flavor, use a fresh head of garlic, but for a sweet, mild flavor, grab the jarred stuff.
- Old Bay Seasoning– or other seafood seasoning or dry creole seasoning.
How to Make Remoulade
This Louisiana remoulade sauce (sometimes called spicy mayo) is so easy to make in a pinch. This is also a great recipe for your younger ones interested in the kitchen or any kitchen helpers trying to lend a hand.
- Combine ingredients. Combine all of the ingredients in a small food processor or a small to medium bowl. Blend or whisk until well combined.
- Serve and enjoy. Once the sauce is smooth, serve or store in an airtight container until use. I think it tastes best chilled when the flavors have to marry, but you can serve it immediately too.
Some variations to consider when making remoulade for crab cakes is all the different substitutions available. Slight differences like green onions (just the green part), chopped bell peppers, grates yellow onion, melted butter, sour cream and a sprinkle of black pepper or salt can make all the difference. If you’re a fan of spice, like me, you can even try adding a bit of cayenne pepper.
What to Pair with Crab Cakes
Other than a side of savory remoulade and lemon wedges, you can also serve your crab cakes with endless sides. Potatoes or broccoli are a great and nutritious way to pair the crab cakes and use any extra remoulade sauce.
I also really love pairing my crab cakes with a good cut of beef. Some of my favorites include:
- Balsamic Whiskey Sirloin
- Garlic Brandy Grilled Filet
- Coffee Crusted Beef Tenderloin
- Crab Imperial Filet Mignon
There are also countless salads to choose from when pairing crab cakes.
What to Pair with Remoulade for Crab Cakes
This sauce is perfect for pairing with most seafood. It’s the perfect dipping for finger foods like crab cakes and breaded fish. Remoulade can taste kind of like a much more flavorful aioli. In simple words, if you’re from the east coast, think fancier fancy sauce. If you’re from the west coast, it could be comparable to In-n-Out sauce. Keep in mind that these are very loose comparisons based on my own experiences, you’ll have to try this homemade remoulade sauce recipe yourself.
“But wait, there is more!” You can use this homemade remoulade sauce recipe for just about anything! It is the perfect condiment for po’boys, french fries, asparagus, broccolini, so many other veggies, and more!
Difference Between Aioli and Remoulade
While a remoulade is an aioli, an aioli isn’t necessarily a remoulade. While aioli is often compared to mayonnaise it couldn’t be more different in terms of taste (although they do look pretty similar).
Aioli can often be just garlic and olive oil which is why it’s used as a base for many other sauces. The key difference between the sauces is that herbs and spices are added to the remoulade to make for a much more flavorful (sometimes).
Even More Dipping Sauces:
Pesto Aioli (Pesto Mayo)
Poppy Seed Dressing
Yum Yum Sauce Recipe (Easy!)
Remoulade for Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chives , minced
- 1-2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- In a small food processor or small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon, sweet pickle relish, Old Bay, Worcestershire sauce, chives, and horseradish until fully combined.
- Serve immediately or chill for 1 hour before serving.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings!
Holy Toledo! This stuff is spicy and salty. It was easy to make but to our sensitive palates too much Dijon mustard and Old Bay.
I’m not a fan of super spicy foods either, so I’m going to try making this recipe minus the horseradish and cutting back on the mustard and Old Bay. Wish me luck; will keep you posted!
I can’t wait to hear how you like it! I would say it is more tangy than spicy.
This was such a quick and delicious sauce! I didn’t realize how easy this was to make and is so much better than the store bought version! A great sauce to have on hand, indeed!
This remoulade sauce is so much better than store-bought. Thanks for the recipe!
I usually go for tartar sauce for crab cakes but this time I wanted to try something different. This is like a jacked up version of a tartar sauce! I would use this on hamburgers or even as a dip! its just finger lickin’
good!
Love how easy this recipe is. It’s perfect for our family!
I’ve been searching for a great sauce to go with my crab cakes. This remoulade is just what I was looking for. Definitely my new favorite sauce for seafood.